Combined car and air-brake coupling



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

J. C. I'. RIPLEY. COMBINED GAR AND AIR BRAKE GOUPLING.

No. 451,654. Patented Ma. 5, 1891.

1 1F11 11111 r 11.1.1115 n. :l: n 1. 4 1 n n 4. v Il r .1

mno., wAsmNm'oN o c (No Model.) 2 sheets-Sheet 2.

' J. C. F. RIPLEY.

l COMBINED GAR AND AIR BRAKE GUUPLING.

l. T m

lllil Patented May 5, 1891.

WIT/VESSES:

NTTED STATES PATENT OrrIcE.

JOHN O. F. RIPLEY, OF VIIEELING, VEST VIRGINIA.

COMBINED CAR AND AIR-BRAKE COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 451,654, dated May 5, 1891.

Application filed December 4, 1890. Serial No. 373,526. (No model.)

To aZZ whom t may concern:`

Be it known that I, JOHN C. F. RIPLEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at l/Vheeling, in the county of Ohio and State of Vest- Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Oar-Couplers and Air-Brakes; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skiiled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the saine, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention consists in a new and improved combined automatic car and air-brake coupling in'which the cars will be automatically coupled together, and can be coupled from either the top or sides of the cars without any necessity for going between them, thus preventing the many serious and fatal accidents which occur wit-h the common linkand-pin coupler generally7 used, and in which the air-valves at the ends of the cars are automatically closed when the cars are uncoupled and automatically opened when the cars are coupled together, and my invention will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal horizontal sectional view of my invention, showing the cars uncoupled. Fig. 2 is a side view of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal horizontal sectional View of the invention, showing the cars coupled together. Fig. et shows the invention as applied to the engine and cab. Fig. 5 illustrates the uncoupling-levers. Fig. 6 is a side view of the coupling device, showing the bumper-block arranged on the same. Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view showing the device which is used when two corresponding ends of the coupler come together. Fig. S is an end view of one of the castings. Fig. 9 illustrates the connection between the shafts 19 and 2O and the pivoted hooks 12. Fig. 10 is a detail view showing how the plate 29 is clamped on the end of the part- 6.

The same numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Referring to the several parts by their designating-numerals, beneath each end of a car are mounted in bearings l two parallel movf able metal tubes 2. To the fianged outer ends of one pair of tubes is bolted a casting 3, which is formed with two longitudinal bores or openings 4 et, communicating at their inner ends with the open ends of the tubes and contracting or diminishing in size toward their outer ends. This casting is formed with the inclined heads or wings 5 at its opposite sides. The flanged outer ends of the tubes at the other end of the car have bolted to them a cast-ing (i, which is formed with longitudinal bores or openings 7 7, which communicate at their inner ends with the tubes and contract in size toward their outer ends.

The outer end of the casting 3 is formed, as]l shown in Fig. 8, with a deep central recess S, while the outer end of the casting 6 is formed with the central projection 9, adapted to fit in the central recess 8 of the other casting and the side projections 10 10, which fit on each side of the outer end of said casting.

On the casting 6 is secured the cross-piece ll., on the ends of which are pivoted the clamps or hooks 12 l2. The springs 13, arranged on the inner side of the rear ends of the pivoted clamps 12, keep theirouter hooked ends pressed toward each other. It will now be seen that when two cars provided with my invention approach each other, as shown in Fig. i, the outer ends of the clamps 12 will engage over the wings 5, and the cars thus be automatically coupled together. The springs 13 will hold the clamps 12in this engaged position. Between the inner ends of the tubes 2 are firmly secured the outer ends of drawbolts 14, each of which passes through the bearing 15 and has a spiral lspring 16 encircling it between the said bearing and a fixed washer 17. By means of these bolts the cars are drawn through the coupling devices when the cars are coupled together, and when the cars move the spring 1G will give and again press the bolts outward, acting as springbumpers. The inner ends of the clamps 12 are connected by chains 18 18 with the lower end of the upright shaft 19, having a handwheel at its upper end by turning which from the top of the carthe outerends of the clamps can be separated, and the cars thus uncoupled.

20 indicates the horizontal shaft mounted IOD at the end ot the car and having a thread 2l on it, which engages with the worm-wheel 22 on the lower end of the vertical shaft It). This horizontal shafthas hand-wheels on its projecting ends, and by means of it the cars can be uneoupled from either side without going between them.

Beneath each car is secured two fixed metal air-tubes 23, which conduct the air to the airbrakes. 'lhe ends of these tubes are connected by flexible tubes 2i with the inner ends of the movable tubes 2, and permit of the movement of the latter tubes as the cars are coupled and uncoupled.

Vthin the conical boresf and 7 of the castings 3 and (5 are arranged air-valves 25, which are tapering in form and of such size as to close the outer ends of the said bores. Thron gh the center of these valves pas's small rods 2G, having enlarged ends 2T, the valves being fixed on the rods so that the rods cannot move through them. lVhen the cars are uncoupled, the valves are pressed outward by small spiral springs 2S, assisted by the pressure of the air from within the tubes, thus instantly and automatically closing the ends of the air-tubes, as shown in Fig. l. When the ends of the ears come together in coupling, the outer ends of the rods 2G come in contact, and thus press the air-valves back, opening the ends of the tubes when the ears are coupled, as shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. et shows a short form ofthe coupler used beneath the cab, the castingf being bolted,as shown, directly tothe end ofthe cab, and the sliding tubes 2 being dispensed with.

lVhen it occurs that two cars approach eachother with their corresponding endsviz., those ends which are provided with the clamps lf2-brought together, in order to enable them to couple I employ a device consisting of the heavy plate 29, formed with two projecting hollow cones 30 30, which is clamped on the end of one of the castings f3. This will give that casting an outer end which substantially corresponds to the shape of the casting 3, so that the clamps ot the casting f5 on the other car can engage with theextendcd ends of the plate 29, while the other clamps pass outside of these engaging-clamps, as shown in Fig. 7 ot the drawings.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Iat ent, is-

l. The combination, in a combined automatic car-coupler and air-brake, with the fixed air-pipes 23, ofthe tubes 2,1novably supported in bearings, the flexible tubes connecting the rear ends of said movable tubes with the ends ot' the fixed pipes 23, the casting 3, bolted to the outer end of the movable tubes 2 and formed with the outer wings 5 and the tapering bores I, the casting G, bolted to the outer end of the movable tubes 2 and formed with the tapering bores 7, and the outer end shaped to receive the outer end of the casting 3, the draw-bolts 14, secured to the movable tubes 2 and having the buniper-springs, the springactuated clamps 12, pivoted on the cross-bar 1l ofthe casting 6, the conical spring-actuated air-valves 25, sliding in the bores of the castings, the rods 2U, passing through the airvalves and secured thereto and having the enlarged ends, and the shafts connected to the rear ends of the clamps l2 for uncoupling from the top or sides ofthe cars, substantially as set forth.

2. llhe combination, with the castings G, having the conically-rccessed outer ondsgand the pivoted clamps l2, ofthe plate 2f), adapted to be secured to the outer end ot one of said castings, having the hollow cones 23, and formed with the extended ends, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence ot' two witnesses.

JOHN (l. l RIPLEY.

Witnesses: Josera LEINER, SAMUEL IIARTMAN. 

